


Wait For Us

by YellowSniper64



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, But also the twins, But different enough to not spoil anything, F/M, Family Reunions, Fluff and Angst, Gen, I started writing this before the actual AE was announced, Non-binary Vanderwood, Original Characters are RFA members, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Ray Route After Ending, Rescue Missions, So now it's only inspired by that, Tags Contain Spoilers, The RFA is a Family
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-23
Updated: 2020-12-21
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:34:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 5,866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27151849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YellowSniper64/pseuds/YellowSniper64
Summary: An alternate title; Author Ash was Tired of Waiting For Cheritz so She Did It Herself!SPOILERS AHEAD FOR RAY'S ROUTE! (not his actual AE! This is stuff I made up myself before it came out and now that it's out, I'm motivated to write again)In which Saeran learns to be more comfortable with himself, with the help of MC, as the RFA continues looking for Saeyoung with the help of new members. There's nothing saying he's alive... but nothing suggesting he's dead, either, so everyone is holding on to hope.I'm not the best at writing angst so expect a lot of fluffy fill-ins with Saeran and MC :) Nothing I could write will be as bad as whatever Cheritz comes up with anyway. (Update: definitely not as bad as some of those bad endings... like what the fuck Cheritz)
Relationships: 707 | Choi Luciel & Choi Saeran, 707 | Choi Luciel & Main Character, 707 | Choi Luciel & Vanderwood, Choi Saeran/Main Character, Choi Saeran/Reader
Comments: 11
Kudos: 11





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'll get back to writing V's after ending stuff when I feel more motivated, but I just wasted probably over $50 to get through Ray's Route in 5 days, so... Now I gotta write about it as I suffer withdraw from Saeran :,)  
> (Update: I spent $50 on his AE as well so T-T rip me)
> 
> I have no idea how this is gonna go, I only have brief ideas of what imma do here and there, so... it'll be a process. We'll see how many plotholes there are ahah-

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here's the intro and bleh people aren't going to be happy with me because i have OCs and people apparently hate OCs :,) I won't go too into detail about them so it won't drag on or anything. 
> 
> Update; it drags on anyway because writing is keeping me from doing hw and I r e a l l y don't want to do hw :)

The news was still constantly covering the topic of the Prime Minister's warrant for arrest... and the disappearance of Saeyoung. Many people, so many of which who never knew of the existence of the agent, were now worried about his whereabouts and conditions. The topic was hard to avoid, despite the fact it'd been weeks now since Zen's publicized speech. Though the males of the RFA seemed to have a knack for hiding emotions, it was obvious they were becoming frantic. 

There was no word from V either, and Jumin had been caught on several occasions taking advantage of alcohol's usefulness in calming him down because of it. 

Saeran continued to work with the Intelligence Unit to track anything that may lead to his brother. He worked from what he now called home, though, under the supervision of MC. Some may have called the male out on his clinginess, but MC was more understanding than anyone else; Saeran was still working on himself, separating himself from who he'd become under Rika's guide. With such a stressful task and the fact it'd been leading to nowhere, such frustration could bring back a part of him that he hated. It was always his Angel that helped him, and Jumin had been more than willing to agree to the arrangement of Saeran working from home after an incident where he witnessed that darker side of him.

They never spoke of it outside of Saeran's constant apologies whenever they got the chance to speak with him alone.

•••

Out of everyone in the RFA, MC could be said to be the sanest, in the sense of keeping it together.

Zen's popularity rose after the speech he made, and while his ego was loving it, it had led to some... unwanted attention, occasionally. That had also lead to him needing protection from C&R, which he wasn't so happy about. 

Jaehee had been the one set to reviewing possible recruits to the RFA, as they were down two members, even with the addition of Saeran. It has been Jumin's call as the temporary representative of the RFA that new people be recruited. It took a lot of time out of the day for Jaehee, with the help of some members of the Intelligence Unit, to look into people's requests to be a part of their association. Their recent publicity lead to far too many requests to look through, and it was rare that anyone was deemed fit enough to join, and even rarer that all the present members agreed on letting them in. 

So far, there were only two new members that were now warming up to the RFA in the group chat. Saeran had even taken the opportunity of a break to make them and MC their own emoji's, scarily similar to the style of Saeyoung's. _Twins will be twins_ , MC had said dismissively when it was pointed out. 

The new members included Yujun Man, a 26-year-old man quite familiar in tech and mechanics that now assisted the Intelligence Unit as well, and Ki Hak, non-binary and 24, an escapee (now under C&R protection as well) of the same agency that Saeyoung had been working for before his kidnapping. Ki provided useful insight about the agency, in the event that the elder twin may have been handed back to it for 'safekeeping'. 

~~_anyway, fluff_ ~~

The sky now grew dark over the cabin where Saeran and MC stayed, and since the Intelligence Unit wasn't anywhere closer than they were weeks ago, going to bed at a reasonable time seemed to happen more as people were beginning to give up. Saeran was against giving up or trying to 'wait it out', but MC still tried to encourage him to sleep and eat well enough, so he'd have the energy to keep up the next day. 

MC was more than happy to be Saeran's angel, or princess, or his paradise, whatever he chose to call her at the moment. She didn't mind cooking when he couldn't tear himself away from a possible new lead, or helping him out in the garden when the moon replaced the sun in the sky and the air was cool enough to be comfortable in sweaters. 

For now, though, MC had her arms draped around Saeran from behind as he typed away, squinting at the screen. She worried he'd start needing glasses soon too, from all the attention he gave his computer. 

He hit 'enter' with a defiant huff before the systems crashed for probably the third time that day. He hung his head in defeat as MC let out a sigh of her own. "I think it's time for a break, Saeran, don't you agree?" She murmured softly, earning a reluctant nod. It was summer, the sunset was later than it usually might be, so they'd both eaten about an hour or so before. That meant MC could gently pull her partner right to their room and prepare a warm shower to wash away stress.

This is a PG-13 place, watch your thoughts. We thriving on innocence :) 

The pair washed up rather wordlessly, though the silence bothered neither of them as they had enough to on their minds. MC always found herself worried about Saeran, despite making sure he was taking care of himself. He didn't often share just how much their current project worried him, though anyone could see he wasn't quite alright. Saeran just wasn't one to 'hope', he wanted proof that his brother was out there, but there was only so much he could do after weeks of this. 

"You've got lessons tomorrow," Saeran mumbled the reminder as crawled into bed in freshly clean clothes, where MC was waiting for him. His statement earned a whine from her, as well as a pout.

"But it hurts my ears!"

"There are headphones for a reason," he chuckled softly in response, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. "I'm pretty sure that knowing how to protect yourself is more important, anyway."

In the weeks following what had happened, regarding Mint Eye, Saeran decided he wanted MC to know how to protect herself in the case of anything happening when he wasn't there, or worse... if the drugs weren't completely out of his system and he acted out. Jumin had of course jumped on the opportunity to use his money in hiring someone to be MC's instructor thrice a week. It meant that the pair would have to drive out to the C&R building since that was the most secure place, but that usually led to a reunion with one or more of the other members, usually Ki. They occasionally helped with the lessons MC took.

The comment she'd made about it hurting her ears was referring to the fact she was now being taught how to use a handgun. Saeran always kept one around, usually close to him, in case of an emergency. While MC didn't believe she'd end up in such a dangerous situation again, let alone one without her partner there to protect her, she was thankful for the lessons... to some extent. She liked complaining her way through them constantly, though she never actually fought against going. It was quite lucky that her trainer, who she'd only learned to call ' _ma'am_ ', was such a patient saint. 

Anyway.

MC huffed and hid her face against Saeran's chest as he threaded his fingers through her hair, playing with it mindlessly. "You're coming with me tomorrow, right?" 

"Of course. I should talk to Jumin about some things, and it's better to do that in person."

MC gave a brief nod in understanding, letting silence fall for a moment, before eventually breaking it herself. "Is there... anyway I could help you? I try my best as is, and I know I'm quite helpless with computers, but I feel as though I should be doing more."

Saeran pressed a kiss to the top of her head with a sigh, though it was nothing condescending. "Just stay safe for me, princess. That's enough for me."

MC tilted her head to look up at her partner to offer a smile and reassure that, "Yeah, of course I will, don't worry," though she saw in his eyes some hesitance. She didn't have to ask about it as he noticed her questioning gaze. 

"I... I've asked the other members that knew him longer, but... could you tell me about Saeyoung..?" He asked, gaze darting away from MC. "I know it wasn't long, and I kept him busy much of the time, but I just thought... since you were one of the people to talk to him last..."

"Of course I will, then." MC gave Saeran a fond smile, reaching up to cup his cheek in her hand. It got his attention as she had hoped, and their eyes met once more. "But don't you dare go blaming yourself."

•••

Meanwhile, in the C&R building...

"Sir-" Jaehee struggled to keep up with Jumin's long strides as they made their way to the room set aside for the Intelligence Unit. "We're being met with resistance, it looks as though someone experienced has caught wind of our project. Mr. Man has requested to do the update in person."

"We are on our way now, Assistant Kang, no need to convince me to go anywhere. Has he given any word on the gravity of the situation?"

"No, he's having Agent Hak review his findings now to check for any error. The rest of the unit is still working separately to avoid their tracks being noticed as well."

Jumin nodded as they arrived at the door labeled 'Intelligence Unit', using a keycard to unlock the door and step inside with his assistant at his heels. Most of their team was hunched over their own computers, while Ki stood behind Yujun, eyes darting over codes that flashed across the screen. They were muttering together, but their chatter came to a halt as they noticed the presence of the other RFA members. Everyone seemed to sit up straighter but went unnoticed by Jumin as he was focused on the two newest recruits. 

"There's been interference?" The CEO-in-line spoke, getting right to the point.

Yujun nodded, waving to the screen that would only be deemed unreadable to Jumin and Jaehee. Ki took over on the computer, typing away rapidly as the male took the chance to explain the situation. 

"We've been met with resistance from the system before but this is a more directed attack towards us, we believe... and the techniques are quite similar to those we've observed Saeran using. Scarily similar."

"I trust that kid, though," Ki piped up from their spot still standing on the other side of Yujun.

"Right, as do I. Now, we've never seen the way Saeyoung works, but from what Saeran has told us, they work rather similarly..."

Jumin gave a slow nod, letting the words sink in. So it was possible that...-

"We believe Saeyoung is trying to keep us from finding him, to either protect himself or us... but this is the first sign of possible contact from him." 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be a serious chapter but the author got carried away talking about Saeran's hair. Please forgive her lololol
> 
> on a more serious note, I don't know anything about technical terms so if all the talk about hacking sounds like utter bullshit, that's because it is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies again for my obsession with Saeran's hair in this chapter-

Saeran stared out the window as MC finished getting ready for the day. He himself wore a comforting fit of black jeans and a red flannel shirt, with the sleeves rolled up to just below his elbow. It wasn't what he'd usually see himself in, but the red of the fabric seemed to call attention to his naturally-colored roots. He'd been growing his hair out to the point where the red was noticeable, while he kept what MC called his 'frosted tips', meaning the bleached ends. The color combo had earned him the nickname of 'candy cane' from Ki, on the rare occasions they got to see Saeran. The couple never went out of their way to get him a haircut either, safely locked away in their cabin together, so long locks fell messily over his face like a mop, barely brushing his shoulders. He usually didn't bother to brush it, as long as he could just tuck it behind his ears enough to see his screen properly. 

MC took it upon herself to do his hair today though, once she'd tied her own back in a ponytail. She made sure Saeran was aware of her presence but didn't ask for his attention before she ran the brush gently through the tangled mess. She was careful not to hurt him, though he did flinch a few times at the occasionally harsh tug. His gaze never strayed from the sky through the glass pane, though, letting his girlfriend do what she thought necessary. Using a hair tie that'd been worn like a bracelet, she pulled back what would've been his bangs into a half-up hairstyle, tying just that part up. 

When MC's hands fell away from his head, and instead to wrap around his middle, Saeran took the note that she was satisfied with her work. He turned his head to face where she rested her chin on his shoulder, being on her toes to do so. "Thank you, princess," he murmured softly, earning him a smile in response. 

"Anything for my prince," MC beamed, stealing a soft kiss before moving away to grab her purse. "We've gotta get going before we're late, don't we? Jumin sounded rather urgent over the phone this morning, I hope it's something helpful instead of worrisome..."

"I hope that's the case as well." Saeran sighed, leaving the window with a final glance out towards the sky. He wondered if his brother was able to see the sky now too, and if he ever thought about him at the sight. With a shake of his head, he went to where he kept his gun ( _'for... just in case. This war isn't over yet_ ,' _Saeran had said_ ) and slipped it into its holster connected to his belt. "I understand why they couldn't give details over the phone, but I... I don't like waiting for news."

MC nodded in understanding before taking the other by the hand and leading him out to the car they'd borrowed( _stolen_ ). Saeran had a perfectly valid excuse, though; For when, not if, _when_ they got Saeyoung back, it might've been nice if his 'babies' were in working order. Both Yoosung and Zen had volunteered to _take good care_ of the expensive cars, but Jaehee had been the voice of reason that suggested it be left up for Saeran, when he had confirmed he did, in fact, know how to drive. He'd also taken care of debugging the cars from Vanderwood's trackers and occasionally visited his brother's bunker to make sure it was in good condition still. MC rarely went with him but was always waiting for him as soon as he would rejoin her at the cabin, ready to take care of him no matter how emotional he might be. 

~~_author ash keeps getting distracted with unimportant details and she apologizes_ ~~

The pair climbed into the two-seated car, it being the least flashy of the ones Saeyoung had owned. They made no attempts at conversation as the engine revved to life and the satisfying click of the seatbelt buckles was heard twice, but the silence was in no way unnerving or awkward. They each had their own thoughts to keep them occupied as the drive began; MC worrying about her upcoming lesson that day while Saeran considered the possibilities of the update Jumin had promised. 

One thing you might be wondering about, which is actually important to the plot unlike half of this chapter so far, is why MC had gotten a trainer to, well, basically teach her how to be an agent for the right side of this war. She simply didn't want to end up helpless, the one waiting to be saved again. Jumin had been understanding and hired someone trusted and professional right away, but it had taken almost a week for MC to get the guilty look off Saeran's face after mentioning it. She promised him that she trusted him, that she knew he'd protect her, but that it was reassuring to have some self-defense knowledge in case they were ever apart.

The drive was long, as their cabin was a safe distance away from quite a bit of society. Still, they arrived safely and before a time that would've caused concern for tardiness. They were able to park in a private lot so they could go inside without calling attention to themselves; they looked like they didn't belong for not wearing suits and formal getups, but much of the staff knew them, or at least of them from the news, so they refrained from making any criticism.

The couple had to part at the elevator, as Saeran would be going up and MC would be training in the basement. They didn't go their separate ways without a kiss, though, one that lingered with the unspoken message of 'I'll miss you'. However many hours they would be apart, they always made it home for dinner and that was enough to not make them cling to each other. Their spoken message to each other was "I love you", though, and it never failed to bring warmth and a rose color to each of their cheeks. MC did final adjustments to Saeran's shirt collar before having to step away when the elevator dinged open. 

"Tell the unit I say hi, Jumin and Jaehee too!" She giggled with a wave before stepping inside, the metal doors closing her in momentarily.

Saeran waved back and assured her that he would anyway, she had no need to ask him to do so, only to let out a sigh as she disappeared from sight. An elevator going up dinged open shortly after, for him to step inside and ride up the many floors. Minutes seemed to drag on longer when you're alone but he distracted himself by looking at his hair ( ~~ _I'm sorry_~~ ) in the reflection of the doors, realizing that it was, in fact, a lot easier for him to see without loose strands constantly falling in front of his eyes. That train of thought came to an end as the doors he was staring at opened again, revealing many overworked employees bustling around the halls, to and from meetings. 

Saeran just had to walk straight down the hallway, as the door he was looking for was on the far opposite end, labeled with a metal plate that neatly read 'Intelligence Unit'. He didn't bother to knock as he pushed the door open. He earned himself a few brief glances but most of the people hard at work weren't willing to spare any of their attention from their screens. He walked over to where the CEO-in-line and assistant were waiting for him, Jumin offering out a hand to shake upon noticing his arrival, which Saeran took with a neutral expression. He wasn't all too awed by the man's wealth and power, but he did always approach him with respect.

"Saeran, it is good to see you again. I hope my lack of details this morning wasn't cause for too much concern," Jumin greeted him, giving his hand a firm shake before letting go. 

"I understand your approach, sir. Could we... avoid further delay?" Saeran swallowed harshly, trying to push away the nerves that had been plaguing his thoughts. The other male seemed to understand as he gave a brief nod before waving him over to Yujun's desk. 

The new member was still trying to break down the digital wall that (supposedly) Saeyoung had put up around himself. Progress was being made on his part but as Jumin explained the situation again, a final decision was left to Saeran. 

"Should we keep going after him? It's the biggest lead we got. You can look for yourself to see if you recognize his defense strategy; you'd be the only one of us who'd know what it looks like." Ki spoke up, having entered the room without gaining anyone's attention. Saeran whirled to face them, his face conveying his obvious surprise. "Hey, candy cane," they greeted properly(debatable) with a hint of a smile, their hands shoved into sweatshirt pockets. They also didn't follow the dress code of C&R but most were too scared of them to say anything to them either. 

Now, to anyone else, the answer would be an automatic yes; why wouldn't they take their biggest chance at finding Saeyoung? However, Saeran was aware of the stakes.

"If he... loses to us..." He paused. "We're not sure whether he's fighting to protect himself or us, correct?"

"He would have no way of knowing it's us though, would he?" Jaehee inquired, speaking up for the first time since the Choi's arrival. "He never directly worked with the Unit, and Mr. Man is a recent addition to our team. It is possible he truly believes we're the enemy." 

"And he wouldn't know that you're on outside now," Ki added with slight hesitance. Saeran was probably the only person outside of the agency that could make them nervous, just as he was one of the few in this environment who wasn't intimidated by them. They did have quite a lot of respect for each other though.

"That is... true." Saeran sighed. "Try to find out what connection he's using. If he's back at the agency, we should be able to find out who else we may be dealing with. I'm worried what could happen to him if he loses against us... I know my life depended on winning against him for a while, it could be similar with him." He clenched his jaw, taking a moment to compose himself before continuing. He wished MC was there but he knew he'd need to stand on his own more. "If you can send a message to him... do it. Double code it, triple code it, make it in aribic, do whatever you must. He should know we're on his side." 

The people listening in for instructions now nodded. Saeran looked around the room, mentally counting himself through breathing exercises. 

"And I... I can't be a part of this, can I? Since he'll see me as a threat?"

The group went silent and questioning glances were exchanged as they tried to come up with an answer for Saeran.

"Well..." Ki started, only for Jumin to speak over them.

"It is possible that Saeyoung has seen the news and would be able to connect the dots. He is a smart man, despite how childish he may have seemed in the messenger. And even if he's been cut off from the news sources, he spoke about wanting to recruit you if you could be saved. He is your family and I would not expect you to simply stand by on such a serious investigation."

While the CEO-in-line's words surprised Saeran, he managed a smile. "Thank you, sir. I'll do the best I can."

"No need to thank me, your insight has been quite helpful, as far as I can tell." 

"It looks like we'll be needing help now then." Yujun spoke sternly, his gaze back on his screen, "It seems he's getting wreckless, we need to pull back and reevaluate if we wanna keep him out of trouble, like you said."

Saeran nodded and was provided a work space next to the two new members, one that he'd used before. Jumin and Jaehee excused themselves from the room with the promise that someone would be by shortly to provide any food requested. Working under someone with a lot of money did have it's perks sometimes. 

•••

Saeran was able to confirm that the defensive attacks were indeed akin to those of his brother's, though they became more offensive when the Unit backed down. The battle died out only as they put up new defensive walls and stopped attacks. They looked into the network that Saeyoung had been fighting from, connecting it to a much larger organization than just the one hacker. Ki was able to point out traces of the Agency's work and they'd come to a conclusion by the time the light was no longer natural, but now artificial overhead lights as the sun had set; 

Saeyoung had been returned to the agency, and now even MC would be able to agree with such a fact that... he is dangerous. Quite possibly in danger as well, but dangerous himself, driven to insanity without the freedom that he'd been granted him before. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a mess, if you need clarification on anything because I wasn't in the right mind when writing it, plz let me know :,) also getting notifications for comments warms my heart so leaving em anyway would be nice, I guess-


	3. -Author's Note-

SO! Saeran's After Ending is out, and I've gotten 9/10 endings, and I'm completely broken because the bad endings were so sAD-

Anyway, I won't give any spoilers but I'm here to talk about THIS fic, which differentiates enough from any of the endings for you to not have to worry about it :)

My question is; even with the release of the official AE, would you like to see me continue this? I have several ideas that I'm still working on that I'd love to share, and quite a few things I'd like to fix that I wasn't all too happy with from the AE. 

If you would want to see more, please comment below <3 

And you know what? Just to make it a little more interesting- I may make it a bit ~interactive~ as well. So, my dear readers... Would you like the next chapter (assuming there is one) to be revolved around Saeyoung and his current state, or more following Saeran/rest of the RFA's story still?

I cannot guarantee that if you do not choose to see Saeyoung now, that you'll get any insight until more investigations are done on the RFA. 

But if you choose to see Saeyoung's current condition now... well, I can assure you that you won't be very happy with me :) 

The choice is all yours, I'll be going with the majority.

And if no one comments, then I'll write whatever I choose and that's always a dangerous option ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Follow Saeran or Saeyoung for the upcoming chapter?  
> The choice is yours :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saeyoung's POV :) 
> 
> Also, trigger warning;  
> In this chapter, I will be explaining the kind of abuse and punishments Saeyoung has endured. If that sort of thing bothers you, please don’t force yourself to read this <3 I’ll be giving brief summaries of what happens otherwise for anyone who may need it. Just leave a comment below <3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please read the trigger warning!!
> 
> Also, non-binary Vanderwood :) enjoy  
> They are probably a bit too soft in this but that's just cause I'm a simp and refuse to believe they don't care

Saeyoung, even now, would say he's perfectly fine. He was fed and hydrated just barely enough and allowed enough time to sleep so he wouldn't just pass out on the computer provided for him- though it was still seemingly a possibility sometimes. His smile was pretty much nonexistent unless Vanderwood was sent to check on him, and even then, it was forced for the most part.

The pair had been 'sold back' to the Agency by the people the former Prime Minister had hired, just as one of the RFA's theories predicted. There was no proof of Vanderwood having done anything wrong, so he was still acceptable in the Boss' eyes. He was still called to be the rogue hacker's handler, though, despite his complaining. He was the only one Saeyoung would speak to, even if they didn't require much from him verbally. 

Dark circles lined Saeyoung's eyes, bruises littered his otherwise pale skin from the time he'd had the energy to fight back- he'd always found himself back in the same uncomfortable chair by the end of it with the threat of being strapped down. There were now red marks around his ankle where he had since been shackled to the desk he worked it. As he continued to get skinnier, he absentmindedly wondered if there’d be a point where he’d be able to slip out of the shackles as easily as if it were a shoe.

He used to know how to get Saeran out of such restraints, but he didn't bother now. 

The last of his visible injuries was the two burn marks that bad become big enough to be one at some point on his neck. Two metal rods were held against the area by a collar he'd been forced to wear since his arrival. The metal, for now, was cool against the irritated skin, but they could spark to life any second if he was deemed too... 'out of it'.

Saeyoung was drained, oh so drained. And tired of how much information was withheld from him. He didn’t know _who_ he was supposed to be going after, just that he was supposed to take down their network. There were too many branches to follow and shut down, and it was only made more difficult as they began actively working against him as well. If he wasn’t the type to be paranoid, he might’ve been thankful when they started retreated with their efforts. 

The only other organization that had such good defenses against his work were those of the hacker from the messenger... Saeyoung wondered about whatever happened to him occasionally. 

The current fight with this mysterious organization fizzled out shortly before the door opened. Saeyoung didn’t bother to look over, instead letting out an agitated growl while still glaring at the computer screen.

”Zero Seven, if I’d known it’d just taken a collar to make you work, I would’ve gotten one long ago,” the newcomer said dryly.

Saeyoung let out a slow breath, making a few last clicks to keep the computer automatically scanning and interpreting layers of code before dropping the mouse and collapsing back in his chair. “You wouldn’t dare.” His head lolled back to see Vanderwood leaning against the doorway, though his view of them was upside down.

”I would’ve. And I should’ve.”

“Awe, don’t be so heartless.” Saeyound pouted. At least with Vanderwood, he could have some normalcy. Their only ‘contribution’ to his abuse was a smack to the back of the head and a threat about getting their pronouns right, which- in Saeyoung’s defense, he hadn’t actually ever been told them. 

“It’s a part of this life.”

”How come they let me keep my heart then?”

Vanderwood simply scoffed, stepping inside and closing the door behind them. “I was sent to make a progress report,” they said, ignoring the question prior. 

“I haven’t dropped dead yet, isn’t that good enough for them?”

They grimaced as they stepped into the artificial light of the overhead bulb, looking down at the hacker. Whatever cheerful light had been in his eyes while he was in the RFA was now nothing more than dull amber orbs. However cruel Vanderwood may present themself to be towards Saeyoung, they’d never go as far as to lie and say that seeing him like this brought them any sort of joy. That poor kid might be a brat sometimes but he never deserved this. There was not much they could do about the situation, though, so as long as they wanted to keep their head free of a bullet, they’d keep such thoughts to themself. 

"'Parently not." Vanderwood sighed as they leaned against the desk, peering at the computer as it ran through its analyses. 

"I feel like I'm on child safety mode with the amount of restrictions you guys have on me." Saeyoung rubbed at his eyes, sounding more tired than angry. This earned him a frown from the other; they didn't like being grouped with the people responsible for doing this to him. They didn't say anything as Saeyoung continued, "What happened that I can't know about? Why can't I see the news?"

"Seven, don't ask questions you know you won't get answers to. You're just wasting your own time-" 

"What happened to the RFA?" Saeyoung sat up straight, narrowing his eyes up at his handler. "What is my father doing? There's nothing else they'd be so desperate to hide from me. What do they think it'll do? Unlock some super secret power in me so that I'll be able to break free and fix everything? This is ridicious, just tell me-"

He made a move like he was going to stand up and go to Vanderwood, his gaze full of rage. Before he could take a step in their direction, though, he crumbled to the floor with a cry. His hands shot up to grab at the collar, trying to pull at it to keep the metal beads from pressing against his neck as they sparked.

Vanderwood's eyes went wide in horror, hand twitching to reach out to the hacker (because, despite their best efforts, they did care). However, as their gaze flicked up to the camera in the corner of the room, they knew they weren't allowed to do anything. ~~They were always watching.~~ "Seven...?" At least there was no audio. 

Saeyoung gasped for air as the collar was inevitably turned off, and involentary whine escaping the back of his throat. "It's fine," he said in an shaky voice, weakly pushing himself back into his chair. "You done with your check in? I'm fine, I'm working, I'm alive." He huffed irritably, sliding down in his chair and using his thumb to still try to push the collar away from his neck.

Vanderwood nodded stiffly, pushing themself away from the desk. They walked to the door and waited until their back was to the camera before speaking. "They're looking for you, that organization of yours. That's all I know." A beat of silence passed as they reached for the handle, before;

"All you know or all you're willing to tell me?"

Saeyoung wasn't given an answer as Vanderwood instead asked a different question. "What does the name... Saeyoung, mean to you?" They still were faced away from the hacker but they knew if they glanced back, his expression would be one of horror. They didn't expect an answer, but they'd heard the name floating around between agents while they were under Saejoong Choi's 'ownership'. That, and... well, they never got a name but the agents spoke constantly of "the other one". 

One question still seemed to be too many, so Vanderwood made to leave, pulling the door open and taking a step out briskly. They almost faltered at the hesitant, "It's mine," they heard, but simply gave a brief nod of understanding, looking back only as they closed the door. 

Their own name was far too distant for them to truly remember it, so they could only imagine how jarring it had been for... Saeyoung, apparently. They walked off, trying not to block out their conscience. They were the tragic informent after all, no need to feel pity for others. 

Except they did. _Stupid kid, making me care against my will..._

Meanwhile, Saeyoung... 

He was rather shaken up, staring blankly at his screen as it continued to run numbers. He blinked a few times, frozen in place, before a warning notification displayed across the bottom of the provided computer. Seeming to remember where he was and why he was there, he lept back forward to the computer to see what was going on.

He muttered to himself about how stupid he'd been to slack off, if even just for a few minutes. He was lucky enough to have not been shocked again through the collar. 

It turned out that what Saeyoung had seen a warning for was an encoded message, one that he now had several different programs working to decode. He tapped his fingers on the desk anxiously, leaning forward as the randomized symbols, letters and numbers turned to words before his eyes. 

**'We're on your side. What can we do to help? -RFA'**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will focus back on Saeran & MC, so I've got a mundane question for you...
> 
> Shall Saeran dye his hair red again?

**Author's Note:**

> If you know me, you know I don't proof-read my works because then I'll end up hating em and deleting the whole thing so sorry for any and all mistakes :,)


End file.
